Automatic train pipe coupling



Qmfiy 3% 1935. H. F. NOERNLEY 2,009,339

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE COUPLING Filed March 15, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l as m INVENTOR HENRY E WOERNLEY (DE 0'0) A TTORNE Y THEODORE ROBERTSON WOERNLEY, EXECUTOR.

H. F WOERNLEY 2,009,830

Filed March 15, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 MM m v. P P s 2 c E.

u Q 4444 2 4 M m 11 F- R 0 v Y o 4.4 I 8 44 4 EWW i F J 4 C 0 l H I n i h f T AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE COUPLING Patented July 30, 1935 PATENT "AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE COUPLING Henry F. Woernley, deceased, late of Wilkinsburg, I V Pa.-,-by Theodore Robertson Woernley, executor,

Wilkinsburg, Pa,, 7 assi house Air Brake Comp gnor to The Westingany, Wilmerding, Pa., a

corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 15, 1933, Serial No. 660,791 rolai'ms. (oi. 285-58) This invention relates to train pipe couplings and has for its principal object to provide an im proved train pipe coupling of the type in which the train pipe coupling is associated with the car coupler and is adapted to automatically couple with a counterpart coupling'in advance ofthe coupling of the car coupler with its counterpart coupler.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following more detailed description of my invention. g

In the accompanying drawings; Fig]. is a side elevation of a pair of train pipe couplings coupled together, embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a train pipe coupling of the type shown in Fig. 1, showing the coupling in the uncoupled position; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig; 2; Fig.4 is a sectional View taken on the line 4 4 cf Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 56.of Fig. 1.

As shown in the drawings, each train pipe coupling comprises a coupling head I having a rearwardly extending shank 2, which is provided with a vertical longitudinal slot 3 definedby the side walls 4 and by the end walls 5 and 6, at the front and rear, respectively, of the slot.

The train pipe coupling is disposed beneath the usual car coupler 1. Depending from the car coupler is a lug 22 to which is secured a'member 23 having a trunnion 9 extending vertically downward.

Rctatably mounted on said trunnion is a sleeve 8 which is preferably square in cross section and has the two side faces I!) spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the distance between the side walls 4 of the slot 3, for causing the sleeve to rotate with the train pipe coupling. The two end faces I land I2 at the front and rear, respectively, of the sleeve are spaced apart a distance less than the distance between the end walls 5 and 6 of the slot, so as to permit longitudinal movement of the coupling relative to the sleeve. For supporting the sleeve 8 on the trunnion 9, a collar I3 is provided, which is secured to, the trunnion by any suitable means, such as a. cotter pin I4.

Carried by the sleeve 8 is a forwardly extending arm I5. To the arm I5 is connected one end of a tension springI 6, the other .end'of said spring being connected to asuitable lug 55 on the cou-' pling head 7 I for yieldingly suspending said head from the arm I5;

An arm' I! carried by the sleeve 8 extends rearwardly, the end of said arm being pivotally connected by means of a pin I8; to one end of a link IS, the other end of said link being pivotally connected by a pin 26 to the inner end of the shank portion 2 of the train pipe coupling, for supporting the rear end of said coupling.

- Thus, the coupling is free to swing longitudinally with respect to the car coupler because the vertically disposed sleeve Bis free to move longitudinally in the slot 3 and because the pivoted link iSfand the spring 16, for supporting the coupling, permit of suchmovement. pling is rotatable in a horizontal plane with the sleeve because the engagement of the squared sleeve in the slot 3 prevents rotation of the sleeve relative to the coupling. The coupling,

ported at the front end by the spring I6 and at being sup- OFFICEI'U The couthe rear end by the pivoted link I9, is also adapted V to move vertically. i p

I Means are also provided for normally main.- tainingthe coupling in longitudinal alignment with the coupler, which means'comprises an arm 2! extending rearwardly from the member 23 and disposed-above the arm I'l. vided-with two oppositely disposed arms 24 which extend laterally of the arm H, the end of'one arm 24 being disposed at one 'side of the arm I1 arm 24 being disposed at and the end of the other the opposite side ofjthe arm I1. i

.As shown inFig. 5, the arm I? is'provided with an opening 25. Extending through said opening and'carried by ,the arms 24 is a pin 26 whichis securedtosaid arms by the cotter pins 27. Loose ly mounted on said rod is a sleeve 23, which may be a neat fit between the ends of the arms and which may have an enlarged central section 29 which is substantially equal in length to the distance between the side faces of the arm I1," the ends of said enlarged'section forming the annular shoulders 39. Slidably mounted on thesleeve 28- are the sleeves 3i, having the flanges 32. For urging thesleeves 3| into engagement with the respective side faces of the arm 'I'! andwith'the respective shoulders 30, springs 33 are provided, which are initially under compression between the flanges 32 and the ends of the arms 24. Thus, the springs 33, being opposed to each otherptend to normally maintain the. arm I], and therefore the sleeve 8 and the coupling head I, in' longitudinal alignment with the car coupler, so that when two couplings are brought together for coupling, they will be in a position which will permit coupling. H

As shown in Fig. 2, the train pipecoupling head is normally maintainedin 'a' position forward of The arm 2| is prothe. coupling plane of the car coupler, so that said head will automatically couple to the adja- 'cent counterpart train pipe coupling when two adjacent cars are brought together for the purpose of coupling. This feature is accomplished by means which will now be described.

Projecting laterally from the arm I! are two oppositely disposed arms 34, the end of onearm being disposed at one side of the coupling and the end of the other arm being disposed at the opposite side of the coupling. Each arm 34 has an opening 35 therethrough.

Extending loosely through the opening 35 in each arm 34 is a rod 35 which has one end pivotally mounted on the pin 20. A coil spring 31 is carried by each rod 36, being placed under initial compression between a washer 38 at the forward end of said rod and a spring seat 39, which is in slidable engagement with the arm, by means of a nut 48 screw-threaded to the forward end of said rod. The spring 37, being under initial compression, holds the coupling in a forward position defined by the engagement of the rear wall 5 0f the slot 3 with the rear face 12 of the sleeve 8 when the coupling is uncoupled from a counterpart coupling, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, in which position thejcou'pling face 4| is forward of the coupling plane of the car coupler. I 7

7 The coupling headl has formed therein one or more train pipe passages, each of which terminates, at one. end, in the coupling face 4| and which connects, at the other end, with the train pipe hosev 53.. In the present instance, the coupling head is shown as having a train pipe passage 42 provided-with a gasket 43 where each passage terrnih'ateswhich is adapted to abut against a-correspondi'ng ga'sk'et'in the train pipe passage in the counterpart coupling head when the two heads are coupled, for making a fluid tight joint.

Each train pipe coupling head is provided with a latch, 44 which-is pivotally carried atone side of the longitudinal axis thereof, and with a shoulder or latching surface 46 at the opposite side of said axis, the latch of one coupling being adapted, in the act of coupling, to ride over and lock onto the latching surface of. the counterpart coupling for locking said couplings in the coupled position. The latch 44 is in the form of an arm secured to a sleeve 45. The sleeve '45 is rotatably mounted on a pin 56 which is carriedby two spaced lugs 5'1 projecting from the side of the coupling head. Surrounding the sleeve 45 is a torsional spring 4! at all times under strain, one end of which spring is secured to a lug 58 on the side of the coupling head, while the other end is secured to a lever arm 59projecting from the body of the latch 44, so'th'at said spring at all times urges the latch '44 in such a direction as to effect automatic engagement of said latch with the latching'surface 46 of the counterpart coupling in coupling. p p i I For pulling said latch out of locking engagement with the latching surface '46 or. the counterpartcoupling when it is desired to effect an uncoupling, a lever 48 carried by the sleeve 45 is connected by means such as afchain 49 toan arm 50 on a member 5| which is interposed between the sleeve 8 and the collar 13. When two cars. move apart after uncoupling of the car couplers has been effected, the chain is pulled taut, so as to rotate the sleeve "45 andthereby release'the c'euplinglatch ,44 from engagement with the latching surface 46, which will permit automatic uncoupling of the train pipe couplings. v The member 5| is mounted on the trunnion 9 tive to the arm 50, which would otherwise tend to cause the stretching of the chain and the consequent release of the latch when two coupled heads rotate horizontally with respect to the trunnions, asin rounding a curve.

. The coupling head is provided with two oppositely disposed forwardly projecting horns 52. These horns flare outwardly in such a manner as to guide two counterpart coupling heads into proper coupling relation in the act of coupling.

In operation, when two cars are being brought togetherfor the purpose of coupling, the horns 52 engage and guide the two adjacent train pipe coupling heads into the proper relation, in the usual well known mannencausing the counterpart conduit gasket rings 43 in the coupling face of the coupling heads to engage. As the .cars continue to move toward each other, each coupling head is moved rearwardly relative to the sleeve 8 and the trunnion Sagainst the yielding resistance of the springs 31, causing the opposing gasket rings 43 to be compressed, so as to form a leak-proof seal. This rearward movement of the coupling head causes the chain 49 to become slack, with the result that the force of the torsional spring 41' snaps the tapered nose 54 of the latch 44 into locking engagement with the latching surface 46 of the counterpart coupling head.

After thetrain pipe couplings have been coupled, further movement of the respective cars toward each other will causethe car couplers to couple, and during this movement the train pipe couplings will continueto move rearwar'dly relatiye to the respective trunnions until, with the car couplers, coupled, the coupling plane of the train pipe couplings substantially coincides with the coupling plane of the car couplers. The springs 31 of the opposing coupling heads will then act to yieldingly maintain the heads in this position. a

Since the coupling is adapted to move longitudinally relative to the sleeve 8 and is also adapted to swing laterallyon account of being pivotally carried by the trunnion 9, it will be evident that the coupling heads, when coupled, are free'to swing laterally asa unit and to move longitudinally as a unit to allow, for changes in position due to rounding curves and the like.

If, it is desired to uncouplathe'oar couplers l are first uncoupled in the usual manner, after which the movement of the cars, as they separate, relative to the train pipe couplings, moves the trunnion 9, with the sleeve 8, and consequently the "arm 50, to whieh one end of the chain 49 1s fastened, rearwardly away from the trainpipe coupling head I. 'Asthe cars continue to 'move apart, the rearward movement of, the sleeve 8 relative to the coupling head'in the slot 3, and the consequent movement of the arm 50, will cause the'chain to be stretched'so'as to release the latchfiflfrom the latching surface 46 on the counterpart coupling head, thereby releasing the coupling heads from 'loeking engagement. As the. ears move fart her a part, the springs ST will move the coupling head forward to the uncoupled iii) position, in which the rear wall 6 of the slot 3 engages the rear face I2 of the sleeve 8.

In the uncoupling operation just described, it will be evident that the latch 44 on both of the coupling heads will be operated and released at substantially the same time.

It will now be evident that there is provided an improved train pipe coupling mechanism which is automatic in coupling as well as being automatic in uncoupling.

While one illustrative embodiment of the invention has been described in detail, it is not the intention to limit its scope to that embodiment or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

Having now described the invention, What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is: g

1. A support for a train pipe coupling from a car coupler comprising a vertically disposed trunnion carried by the car coupler, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said trunnion and carrying said train pipe coupling, said sleeve and said coupling having means providing longitudinal movement of the train pipe coupling relative to said sleeve, an arm carried by said sleeve, a rod slidably extending through an opening in said arm and operatively connected at one end to the rear end of the train pipe coupling, a spring seat carried at the opposite end of said rod, and a spring interposed between said arm and said spring seat, said spring being always under compression for yieldingly maintaining the train pipe coupling in the uncoupled position when not coupled to a counterpart train pipe coupling.

2. A support for a train pipe coupling from a car coupler comprising a vertically disposed trunnion carried by the car coupler, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said trunnion and carrying said train pipe coupling, said sleeve and said coupling hav ing means providing longitudinal movement of the train pipe coupling relative to said sleeve, an arm carried by said sleeve and disposed at one side of the train pipe coupling, another arm carried by said sleeve and disposed at the opposite side of the train pipe coupling, and spring means carried by said arms and acting on the train pipe coupling for yieldingly maintaining the train pipe coupling in the uncoupled position when not coupled to a counterpar train pipe coupling.

3. A support for a train pipe coupling from a car coupler comprising a vertically disposed trunnion carried by the car coupler, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said trunnion and carrying said train pipe coupling, said sleeve and said coupling having means providing longitudinal movement of the train pipe coupling relative to said sleeve, an arm carried by said sleeve and disposed at one side of the train pipe coupling, another arm carried by said sleeve and disposed at the opposite side of the train pipe coupling, a rod slidably extending through an opening in one of said arms,

another rod extending through an opening in the other of said arms, said rods being operatively connected at one end to the rear end of the train pipe coupling, -a spring seat carried at the opposite end of each said rod, and a spring interposed between each said arm and each said spring seat, said spring being always undercompression for yieldingly maintaining the train pipe coupling in the uncoupled position when not coupled to a counterpart train pipe coupling. I

4. A support for a train pipe coupling from a car coupler comprising a vertically disposed trunnion carried by the car coupler, a sleeve rotatably.

mounted on said trunnion and extending through a slotted opening in the train pipe coupling, supporting means carried by said sleeve for supporting the forward end of the train pipe coupling, supporting means for supporting the rear end of the train pipe coupling comprising a member pivotally connected to said sleeve and to the rear end of said coupling, a pin for pivotally connecting said member to the train pipe coupling, said supporting means being adapted to provide for longitudinal movement of the train pipe coupling relative to said sleeve, an arm carried by said sleeve and disposed at one side of the train pipe coupling, another arm carried by said sleeve and disposed at the opposite side of the train pipe coupling, a rod slidably extending through an opening in one of said arms and operatively connected at one end to said pin, another rod slidably extending through an opening in the other of said arms and operatively connected atone end to said pin, a spring seat carried at the other end of said rods, and a spring interposed between each arm and each said spring seat, said spring being always under compression for yieldingly maintaining the train pipe coupling in the uncoupled position when not coupled to a counterpart train pipe coupling.

THEODORE ROBERTSON WOERNLEY, Executor of the Last Will and Testament of Henry F. Woernley, Deceased. 

